Google has teamed up with India's Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to soon launch a new feature allowing users to book metro train tickets directly through the Google Maps app.
By integrating buyer apps within the open network, Google said it will enable users to find authoritative information about metro transport in different cities and enjoy a "seamless" ticket booking experience.
Google Cloud India's managing director, Bikram Singh Bedi said the initiative will be rolled out in the next few months to enhance the user experience and provide a convenient solution for navigating public transportation in the country.
The duo had earlier collaborated to launch an accelerator program for sellers coming online through the open network.
The initiative enabled open-sourcing and readying implementation of ONDC infrastructure and core APIs, and a U$25,000 (S$34,000) grant for eligible organisations on the network.
Google said it further intends to collaborate with various stakeholders in India, including the government, financial institutions, startups, public health infrastructure, and law enforcement for more such initiatives.
WhatsApp has also introduced a similar metro train ticket booking feature in selected cities recently. It included payment support through partnerships with city metro train corporations.
